Carbonator



W. E. LEIBING.

CARBONATOR. 7 APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 16, 1918. 1,436,886. Patented Nov. 28, 1922.

4 4/ 4 2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

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WITNESS.-

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Patented Nov. 28, 1922.

sra'rss PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM E. LEIBING, OF OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO ANTON WEBER, OF OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA.

CARBONATOR.

Application filed September 16, 1918. Serial No. 254,253.

To all whom it many concern. 4

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM E LEIBING, a citizen of the United States, residing at Oakland, in the county of Alameda and State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Carbonators, of which the following is a specification.

1n the present method of making carbonated water, electric or other driven pumps of a complicated nature are employed for' mechanically agitating the water and carbonic acid gas in a suitable tank'until the saturation of the water and gas-is efiected, the principal objection to these devices is the high initial costthereof, the high cost of maintenance and operation and the more or less noise during the operation thereof, all of which prohibit the installation of such devices in small establishments wherein soda water and carbonated root beer are dispensed.

The present invention relates to an automatic carbonator capable of construction at little cost and wherein the mixing of carbonic acid with the water is effected by simple means and also by the admittance of the carbonic acid gas into the apparatus. The invention further relates to an apparatus wherein the expansive power plus the pressure of water causes operation of the mechanical elements of the apparatus, and wherein the gas admitted into the apparatus and not previously in a condition of saturation is in its passage through the apparatus caused to intermingle with and become saturated with the water.

With the above mentioned and other objects in view, the invention consists in the novel construction and combination of parts hereinafter described illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and set forth in the claims hereto appended, it being understood that various changes in the form, proportion, size and minor details of construction within thescope of the claims may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention. Referring more particularly to the several views of the drawings wherein like characters of reference designate corresponding parts, 4

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic view of the preferred embodiment of my invention connectwater in said pipe 12.

ed with a gas storage tank for containing carbonlc acid gas.

Flg. 2 is a vertical sectional view through the apparatus.

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a view iri' 'plan of the gas trap plate mounted to rotate with the rotor or agitator.

5 is a view in elevation of the rotor.

Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken on line 6-6 of Fig. 3, viewed in the direction of the arrows.

To more fully comprehend the invention, particularreference is made to the several views of the, drawings, wherein like characters of reference designate corresponding parts, wherein 1 indicates a suitable cylindrical casing closed at its opposite ends by the removable top plate 2 and'bottom plate 3, preferably held in position on the casing by screws or other retaining members 4:, leakage between the meeting edges of the plates and casing being prevented by a gasket 5 of any suitable construction. The bottom plate is provided on its inner surface preferably in its center with an upstanding portion or boss 6, the opposite sides of which are chambered as at 7 and in the outer ends of said chambered portions are removably seated the discharge nozzles 8. Terminating in said chambers are the discharge ends of the water channels 9, supplied through a bore 10 which extends exteriorly from the bottom plate through the center of an elbow 11, connecting by a pipe 12 with a water supply underpressure.

check valve 13 is positioned between said'elbow and pipe to prevent the back flow of Into the rear of the bores 8 of the nozzles 8 extend the discharge ends of suitable nozzleslt positioned at the opposite ends of the supply passage 15 connected through a channel 16 extending exteriorly of the plate through the elbow 17 with the feedpipe 18 leading from a suitable storage tank 19, containing carbonic acid gas at a pressure of approximately fifteen hundred (1500) pounds. The pipe 18 is provided preferably with the usual gauge'QO, and within the same is mounted a reducing valve 21, preferably. adjusted to admit of pressure of approximately 200 pounds into the casing 1; the admission of said gas under pressure being controlled by a suitable manually operated valve 22. The gas pressure discharging from thenozzles 14'into the rear ends of the bores -8 will serve as ejectors for the water admitted into the chamber 7, and the passage of the water and gas through said bores 8' will cause 'certaln intermixing thereof.

Extending vertically from the boss 6 and disposed preferably centrally of the cylindrical casmg 1 is a spindle 23, over which is positioned asleeve 24 extending upwardly from the center of a supporting plate 25, dependin from the underside of 'which are the angufarly disposed blades or veins 26 arranged to extend below the nozzles 8. The plate 25 and veins 26, provide a rotor or mechanical ejector operated by the intermixing gas and water discharged from the nozzle 8, and which rotates within the casing at a high velocity. The passage of the angularly disposed blades 26 through the gas charged water causes a violent agitation of the sameefi'ecting a saturation of the water with gas as the same enters the lower portion of the casing 1. Positioned within the casing. above the plate 25 is a stationary gas trap plate 27 of a diameter corresponding to the interior of the cylindrical casing 1 and resting at its peripherally flanged edge on a seat 28 formed annularly of the inner wall of the cylindrical casing. Formed in the plate are the upwardly extending channels 29 circular in form and between which are provided in the plate at spaced intervals with ports or passages 30. The upper end of the sleeve 24 also carries a plate 31 of a diameter slightly less than the interior of the casing 1 and whichis adapted to rotate with the spindle 24, the plate being provided with the upwardly extended channels 32 similar to 29, said channels' being provided in their apex with spaced ports or openings 33'. Within the fcasing and above the plate 31, are positioned .other plates :34, 35, and 36 similar to late 27, and above said plate 36 in space relation thereto, is a plate 37 similar in construction to a plate 31, the same being held stationary within said casing, An outlet pipe or channel 38 through which the car:

onated water dlscharges extends down wardly from the top plate.2 through the upper plate 37 terminating between the same and plate 36. The upper end of the pipe 38 terminates within the lateral bore 39 formed in a boss 40 on the outer' surface of the top plate and within said 'bore 39 is positioned a suitable nozzle 41, the outer end of which lies in spaced relation to the inner end of a nipple. or coupling 42 threaded into the outer end of the bore 39, a gas passage 43 being provided in the top plate to aiford a connection between the to of the interior of the casing and the space 44 between the nozzle-41 and the coupling 42. Connected with the coupling 42 is an outlet pipe 43', the passage of the carbonated water therethrough being controlled by a valve 44 of any suitable construction and which is preferably connected by a link 45 with the valve 22 whereby on the operation of the valve 44 to permit the discharge of carbonated water from the apparatus the charge of carbonic acid gas is admitted into the cylinder to intermix with the water also admitted to take the place of that released by the opening of the valve 44.

The carbonic acid gas and water under pressuredischarging from the nozzle 8, as before stated, will .cause an operation of the rotor, the blades of which will violently agitate and churn the water and gas admitted into the interior of the casing causing the saturation'thereof. The intermixed gas and water is forced upwardly in the apparatus and is caused to pass in minute streams up wardly through the ports or passages 30 in the plate 27, where a further saturation is efiected and on the further rising of the intermixed gas and water the same is trapped beneath the flanged plate 31, which is rotating at high speed due to the operation of the rotor and, either passes between the downwardly flanged edges 28' thereof and the interior wall of the casing or through the passages or ports 33 whereby a further saturation is effected. The intermixed gas and water as it continues to rise in the casing 1 is caused to pass in minute streams through the passages 30 in the successive plates 34, 35 and 36 and finally that portion of the gas which has not been. completely intermixed with the water passes upwardly through the ports 31 in the uppermost plate 37. he opening of the valve 44 which causes a simultaneous opening of the valve 22, permits the discharge under pressure of the carbonated water through the pipe 43 the same being taken from a point within the casing between plates 36 and 37, the extension of the discharge pipe 38 to this point precluding the escape ofunsaturated charges of gas from within the casing, said unsaturated gas passing through the channel 43 and intermixing with the discharged water and gas at the space 44 between the nozzle 41 and the end of the coupling 42, whereby a complete saturation of the water within the gas is effected prior to discharging from-the pipe 43.

By my improved apparatus, it will be apparent that a continuous flow of carbonated water may be obtained, or that the same may be operated to enable intermittent charges to 'by the passage of the water and gas under pressure through the apparatus and also by the action of the streams of water and 1,4se,eee

gas discharging against the blades of the rotor which causes a churning thereof within the base of the apparatus.

The check valve 13 is employed to prevent the flow of the carbonic acid gas into the service water pipe, the pressure in which is considerably lower than the pressure of the carbonic 'acid gas admitted into the chamber 1.

Having thus described my invention what I claim is:

1. A carbonator including a casing provided with a pair of inlet channels each terminating within the casing in a nozzle horizontally disposed within the lower end of said casing and one nozzle discharging into and through the other, one of said channels connected to a gas supply under pressure and the other to a liquid supply under pres-,

sure, a rotor consisting of a supporting plate and a plurality of depending blades disposed within the path of the stream discharging from said nozzle and against which the discharge stream impinges causing a saturation of the liquid within the.

gas, a plurality of parallel spaced mixing plates extending transversely of said chamber above said rotor and dividing the casing transversely into a plurality of chambers, said plates provided in their under surface with raised portions, the raised portions of certain of said plates being provided with minute openings at the top thereof and the portions of the plates between the raised portions of certain other of said plates being also provided with minute openings for the passage of the saturated liquid therethrough, a discharge pipe extending into the upper end of said casing to a point below the upper plate thereinand through which the saturated fluid discharges, said casing being provided with a gas escape channel leading from the extreme upper end thereof into said discharge pipe at a point below the upper end of said chamber.

2. A carbonator including a casing consisting of an open ended cylinder, top and bottom closure plates detachably seciured thereto, said bottom plate provided on its interior with an upstanding boss, said boss provided with a plurality of channels, a discharge nozzle at the discharge end of each of said channels and one nozzle dischargin into and through the other nozzle, a spin eextending upwardly from said boss, a rotary agitator carried by said spindle and movable within the path of the stream discharging from said nozzle, a perforated mixing plate extending transversely of the casing and adapted for rotation by the movement of said agitator, said top closure plate being provided with a plurality of openings communicating with the interior of the chamber and one intersecting the other, and a pipe extending from one of said openings and depending into said chamber below the lower face of said top plate.

3. A carbonator including a casing consisting of an open ended cylinder, top and bottom closure plates therefor, the bottom plate being provided With an upstanding boss having a plurality of'channels, a discharge nozzle in each of said channels, a rotary agitator mounted upon a spindle and movable within the stream discharging from' said nozzles, vertically disposed deflector blades depending from said agitator and adapted to lie in the path of the discharging stream, a plurality of mixing plates extending transversely of the casing above said agitator and having circular corrugations therein, and apertures in said plates through which the gas and liquid pass in effecting a saturation of the liquid with the gas during the passage of the same through the casing. In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification'in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

1 WILLIAM E. LEIBING. Witnesses:

HARRY H. TOTTEN, D. B. RICHARDS. 

